Thai researchers succeed in producing gold pearls

NAKHON RATCHASIMA, November 29 (TNA) -- A team of Thai researchers here has succeeded in changing the colour of freshwater pearls from white to gold through the use of synchrotron light for the first time in the world. Dr Nirawat Thammajak, who leads the group of researchers from Suranaree University of Technology’s Synchrotron Light Research Institute in the experiment, said this innovation would add value to low-cost freshwater pearl and make Thai freshwater pearl valuable decorative items that could be sold worldwide. Dr Nirawat said it took the researchers over one year until they succeeded in changing the colour of freshwater pearls and adding designs on them. “This is a new innovation for the global jewelry industry,” he said. He said an X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS) technique was applied in the experiment. A patent for the new technique has been registered, said Nirawat, noting that this innovation will be publicly exhibited for the first time at the Global Interposer Technology 2014 Fair in Chiang Mai province from December 8-9. (TNA)